The former location of the HRDC Senior Center at 19 Frederick Street continues to be rehabilitated by developer Clock Tower Ventures out of Hagerstown. Built in 1902 and once a federal building, work is progressing on event space, a restaurant and short- and long-term apartments.  Mayor Ray Morriss says the work inside is coming along…    “They’ve got just about everything framed out so they’re doing a really nice job.  So, you can’t really tell from the outside yet. I mean they did some nice cleanup work here two or three months ago on the outside.  They did some pressure…

Maryland’s six casinos combined to generate $155 million in revenue from slot machines and table games in February. The revenue was down 2.6% compared to last February.  The state collected $65 million in tax revenue from the casinos for the month and $47 million was added to the Education Trust Fund.  The only casino with a year over year increase was MGM National Harbor that brought in almost $67 million. Rocky Gap Casino generated $3.8 million in February, down over 10% from 2024.

The Mountain Ridge Miners mounted a furious fourth quarter comeback to send the game into overtime but Fort Hill was victorious, 59-56, Thursday night at Fort Hill.  The teams had split their regular season games.

Declining enrollment and finances have led to this being the final year for Hope for Hyndman Charter School.  The Bedford County school's enrollment has fallen from 305 in 2011 to just 123 in 2025.  Ninety per cent of the studen body is from the Bedford School District with other students from the Somerset and North Star districts.

The Roman Catholic Church in Baltimore has set a new age for reception of the sacrament of Confirmation.  Following the urging of Pope Francis to make sure young people stay more engaged in the Church, Baltimore Archbishop William Lori has lowered the age to receive Confirmation to nine.  Previously the sacrament was typically administered to 14-16 year olds.  Archbishop Lori hopes the younger age will afford a deeper connection to the Church at a formative age.  The change will be accomplished in stages throughout the Archdiocese with full implementation by 2028.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are once again working to avoid a government shutdown. Without an agreement by both houses, a partial shutdown would occur on March 14. The House of Representatives is hopeful for a vote on Tuesday to fund the government through September. The continuing resolution would then go to the Senate, where West Virginia Senator Shelly Moore Capito says a shutdown is never a popular subject…     “A government shutdown is a road to nowhere. Nobody’s happy. What happens when the government shuts down? You have to reopen the government. And it really causes a lot of…

U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) reintroduced the Farewell to Foam Act, bicameral legislation to phase out single-use plastic foam food service products, “loose fill” such as packing peanuts, and non-medical disposable coolers – materials known to cause harmful health effects and pollute waterways. This bill prohibits the sale and distribution of these items beginning January 2028 while aiming to support the transition to alternatives. Additional Senate cosponsors of this legislation are Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Angus King (I-Maine), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif),…

Attorney General Anthony G. Brown joined a coalition of 22 other attorneys general that today won a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration to block its illegal policy to freeze funding for essential federal agency grants, loans, and other financial assistance programs. Chief Judge John J. McConnell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island today granted the preliminary injunction after Attorney General Brown and the coalition sued the Trump administration to stop the funding freeze.   “Federal funding plays a critical role in Maryland’s efforts to keep our communities safe, educate our children, and protect our infrastructure….

On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, the Cumberland Police Department served a bench warrant on James Hendershot II.  The warrant was issued as the result of Hendershot violating probation on an original charge of Violate Protective Order.  Hendershot was arrested and transported to Central Booking.  He was later seen by a District Court Commissioner and remanded to the Allegany County Detention Center without bond. ARRESTED:  James William Hendershot II    AGE:  33     Cumberland, MD    

On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, the Cumberland Police Department served a criminal summons on Cory Sisk.  The summons was issued as the result of a private citizen filing for charges against Sisk at the District Court of Allegany County.  Sisk signed for his copy of the summons and he was released pending trial. ARRESTED:  Cory Alex Sisk                   AGE:  32                    Cumberland, MD CHARGES:   Violate Protective Order, Malicious Destruction of Property less than $1,000